True Strength
by AleGnA
Summary: Van suddenly falls ill and calls out to Hitomi for help. Will she be able to free him from his own mind and get him to believe in himself and their love again. I hope this is good. First timer.


****Author's notes: Hi this is the first fic I've posted on fanfiction.net ever. I've got lots of little stories but, I've never posted anything in my life. I hope you all like this. 

  
  


****True Strength****

  
  


**_~Hitomi? Please, I need you.~_**

  
  


**_A strange ugly old man with evil eyes turned himself into a monster and was towering high over a white dragon. The dragon had given up all hope and was about to let the monster devour him. Looking up one last time, the dragon pleaded it's silent plea._**

  
  


**_~Hitomi please help me!~_**__

__Hitomi awoke with a start. The same dream had occurred every night for the past week. She still couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

"Dragons and monsters. I've been in Gaea too long." Hitomi mumbled grabbing her school bag. She sighed and kicked herself mentally for bringing up the past.

It had been four years since she had been to Gaea. Four long years since she had seen Van, Merle, Allen, even Millerna. 

"Why did I have to think of that now?" Hitomi said walking out the door. She was joined by Yukari and Amano.

"Something wrong Hitomi?" Amano asked. Hitomi looked at him questionably.

"Oh no, nothing's wrong. I just didn't sleep well." Hitomi said. The last parts of her dream danced in her head. 

**_~Hitomi please help me!~_**__

At school, Hitomi found it hard to concentrate on her studies. The math that sat in front of her didn't make any sense. She let her mind drift away in hopes of finding a connection she'd long given up on.

Suddenly, a long white feather dropped in front of her. She watched it float down on her desk. As she watched the feather, smiling to herself silently, it began to turn red. 

The once beautiful feather turned into a small puddle of blood that scared Hitomi. She gasped and got up from her seat. Several people looked at her, including her teacher.

"Hitomi? Is everything alright?" Her teacher asked.

"Gomen sensei, I'm fine." Hitomi said sitting back down. She looked at her book to see that the feather and the blood were both gone. Yukari looked at her friend with concern. Hitomi whispered an I'm fine and continued with her work.

After school, Hitomi joined her friends at the track. She hoped to get in some good quality running. She quickly changed then went to meet the two friends who were sitting on the bleachers. 

"Hey Hitomi! Do you have a piece of paper on you?" Yukari asked.

"Yeah in my bag." Hitomi said doing her usual stretches. Yukari pulled out Hitomi's math book and looked for a blank page. She came across some scribbling and notes so she read it.

"Hitomi what's this? What are you doing, taking a writing course? If you are I'd suggest you drop it because this doesn't make sense." Yukari said. Hitomi took the book and read it.

**_A cursed monster_**

**_The lone white dragon_**

**_Lonely heart_**

**_Dying soul_**

**_Lost hope._**

**_Hitomi please help me. I need you. Can't do this alone. Please! Come back._**__

__Hitomi stared at the page and began to shake. Things grew dark as she sank to the ground.

"Van..." She said as she collapsed onto the ground.

__**_~Hitomi?~_**

**_~Van?~_**

**_~Hitomi please come back. I need you.~_**

**_~Van what's wrong?~_**

**_~The sorcerer. A trick Hitomi. I can't do this alone.~_**

**_~Van I can't come back without the pendant. You have to help me.~_**

**_~I'll try. Please hurry.~_**

**_~Ok Van.~_**__

"Hitomi? Are you ok?" Yukari asked as Hitomi sat up. She looked around then got up.

"Who's Van?" Amano asked.

"Van! I have to go back to Gaea to help Van! He needs me!" Hitomi said. She suddenly realized that what she had been dreaming was about Van all along.

"Calm down Hitomi! What's going on? What's Gaea?" Yukari asked.

"There's no time to explain! Van's in trouble!" Hitomi said closing her eyes to concentrate.

**_~Ok Van, I'm ready.~_**__

Suddenly a beam of light surrounded Hitomi and lifted her up into the sky.

"Hitomi!" Yukari yelled as she watched her friend vanish.

"I'll be ok!" Hitomi yelled back.

  
  


**__***In Fanelia's royal castle*__

Merle sat watching as her best friend lay silent on his bed. The pendant in which he had been cradling started to glow.

"Lord Van don't do it. You're too weak to do it." Merle pleaded him.

"I have to help Hitomi. She can't do it by herself." He whispered, weakly. He closed his eyes to concentrate and Merle watched as the pendant grow brighter. 

Catching where the pillar of light landed, Merle yelled for Allen to go see if it brought Hitomi back. Allen was more than happy to and left to find Hitomi on his horse.

"Hang on Lord Van. She'll be here soon." Merle said watching as Van's eyes closed tighter.

Hitomi opened her eyes and looked around her. She knew where she was at that very moment. A sudden pain shot through her. Being in Gaea meant that she was now closer to Van and she could feel that he was in pain.

"Hang on Van, I'm coming." She said aloud as she walked toward the direction in which her heart guided her. After a few minutes of walking she heard someone approaching on horseback. She decided to hide to see who it was.

Allen searched around the forest trying to find Hitomi and was about to give up when he heard something in the bushes.

"Come out and show yourself!" He demanded the unknown one hidden in the bush. A few moments later Hitomi came from her hiding spot.

"Allen?" She asked in total shock.

"Hitomi? You've changed. Come on, we haven't much time." Allen said helping her up onto his horse.

"What's going on?" Hitomi asked.

"Van is very ill Hitomi. We all came to Fanelia as a request from Merle. She thinks she knows why but she says that only you can help Van now." Allen said.

"How can I help Van?" Hitomi asked.

"You'll have to ask Merle that but we don't have time to waste. If something isn't done quickly he could very well die." Allen said.

"Wh-what? I don't understand Allen. Aren't there people here that can help?" Hitomi asked, trying to shake the thought of Van dying from her mind.

"That's what's so strange about it Hitomi. Millerna's here and she has no idea what it could be. It just happened so suddenly." Allen replied as they entered Fanelia. People were gathered around the castle when they arrived. Hitomi walked slowly past them wondering.

A little girl walked up to her and pulled on her pant leg. Hitomi bent down to face her. The girl hugged Hitomi and placed a flower in her hair.

"Thank you angel of life." The girl said and ran off to find her mother. 

"You're welcome. I think." Hitomi said as she stood up to walk with Allen again.

"What was that?" She asked.

"The people think you're here to save their king." Allen answered as he took her to Van's chamber. Once the door opened and everyone saw Hitomi they cleared the way for her to see Van. Merle was silently crying and didn't notice Hitomi until she ran across the room.

"Van! Van please answer me!" Hitomi pleaded as she fell on her knees by his bedside. Van slowly opened his eyes to see her. 

"Hitomi?" He whispered trying to open his eyes more to see her. Hitomi took his hand and shivered at his coldness. There he was. The man she had fallen for was now at the most vulnerable state she had ever seen him in. His skin stripped of it's tan color and as cold as a winter's night. His body so thin and weak.

"Oh Van what happened?" Hitomi asked. Merle looked at her with sad eyes.

"They tricked him." She said.

"They? The sorcerer?" Hitomi asked. Merle looked over at her in surprise.

"How'd you know?" Merle asked.

"My dream. I had a dream about a monster and a white dragon then I wrote, A cursed monster, the lone white dragon, a lonely heart, dying soul, lost hope" then Van's plea for help." Hitomi said.

"You knew all along and you could have stopped this?" Merle said, growing angry.

"No Merle I didn't know until today. It never registered in my mind what was going on." Hitomi said, trying to defend herself. Inside she felt like it was her fault.

"Calm down Merle. It's not Hitomi's fault. Our bond weakened." Van whispered. His eyes were closed now and he was trying his hardest to open them again.

"Don't worry Van. I'll find a way. Rest now." Hitomi said. With that, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate.

"What are you doing?" Merle asked.

"Shh. I'm trying to concentrate!" Hitomi hissed. She blocked everything out that was around her and thought only of Van.

Images flooded her mind. She saw how Van had been tricked. An old man in an alley called him over and took his hand. Hitomi knew what the man was doing but poor Van had no idea. The man was searching him for a way. He was the sorcerer that tricked Van. When taking Van's hand he found a way into his mind. Now this sorcerer was taking this to an advantage.

"Van I won't let him have you!" Hitomi yelled surprising everyone in the room. The pendant around Van's neck began to glow brightly and Hitomi fainted. Everyone rushed to Hitomi's side to try to wake her but Merle fended them off.

"No! Leave her! She's there now, with Van. Only Hitomi can save him! You have to let her do this!" Merle pleaded. Somewhere inside she knew that the love they had for each other would help Van.

"What are you talking about Merle?" Millerna asked.

"Their love is strong and I know that will help Van." Merle said. She hated to admit it since she too cared for Van. She knew they were meant to be. Everyone sat back and waited to see what the outcome of all of this would be.

**_~Van? Van where are you? It's so dark here.~_**__

Hitomi walked around in the total darkness trying to find Van. She saw a faint light and followed it. A gate stood in front of her that she could not open. Looking through the bars she saw Van lying on the ground.

**_~Van! Van answer me! Please!~_**

**_~So I see the dragon managed to bring help.~_**__

Hitomi gasped at the hideous figure in front of her. With her mind, she pictured the monster how it should be.

******_~You can't fool me! I can see past your tricks sorcerer! Let Van go!~_**

**_~Stupid girl! I don't hold your king here. He holds himself here over despair! He has given up on life!~_**

**_~That's not true or else I wouldn't be here! Van answer me now!~_**

__Hitomi tried to get through the bars to reach Van but they wouldn't open. She watched as the figure that threatened Van closed in on his victim. With one quick movement he grabbed Van and pulled him to his feet.

******_~Don't you know enough to speak when spoken to? You should at least grant her an apology for bringing her here to see how pathetic you are.~_**

**_~Stop it! I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to keep Van here on his own free will! They're lies Van! Whatever he's told you don't believe it!~_**

**_~I'm sorry Hitomi, I've failed you.~_**

**_~No Van! You have never failed me! Don't listen to him!~_**

**_~Why bother girl? He's already given up so I've won.~_**

**_~Not while I'm here! Van look at me! Look at me Van, now!~_**__

__Hitomi reached her hand out to him. She couldn't reach him but she had to get him to understand. She loved him too much to just let him give up.

Van lifted his head slowly. He wanted so badly to hold her but something was holding him back. Something he couldn't get away from. Guilt, sadness, loneliness. All these things plagued his mind.

Hitomi saw all of this in his eyes. There was nothing hidden from her. She knew him inside and out. The pained look in his eyes were enough to make her cry.****

******_~Van take my hand.~_**

**_~I can't Hitomi. I can't reach you.~_**

**_~You're not trying Van! This is your mind not his! You control what happens here not him! Try Van! Don't give up!~_**

**_~I'm sorry Hitomi.~_**

**_~Don't be sorry Van! Just try!~_**

**_~I can't!~_**

**_~Yes you can!~_**__

__Merle watched closely as the grip Hitomi had on Van's hand grew weaker.

"Don't give up Hitomi. I know you can do it." She prayed silently to her friend. Hitomi could hear Merle's voice deep within her mind and promised her that she wouldn't give up.

**_~Van please don't give up! Everyone's counting on you to come back! There's a huge group of people surrounding the castle right now praying that their king will be ok!~_**

**_~What?~_**

**_~It's true Van! Millerna and Allen are here and Merle's right by your side!~_**

**_~Give up girl! He has already lost this battle!~_**

**_~Over my dead body! Van Fanel don't you dare give up on me! Do you hear me? Don't you dare leave me! I love you and he can't hide that from you because I'm here with you now and if you die now I'll die too!~_**__

Merle took Hitomi's hand and placed it tightly in Van's. She held their hands together and prayed. Outside the castle walls, things had grown silent as people kneeled and prayed for their king.

"Don't leave us Lord Van. Believe." Merle whispered closing her eyes.

__**_~Merle?~_**__

__Van looked around trying to find his friend in the thick fog. Hitomi watched knowing that things were finally starting to go right.

**_~Van please believe!~_**__

__Hitomi couldn't take it anymore. She began to cry and sank to the ground. The flower that was in her hair flew from her hair to Van's hands. He looked at it and he saw how the flower had came into Hitomi's possession.

He saw a vision of the little girl and the talk Allen had shared with Hitomi. He saw all of the people standing around the castle walls. Then he saw Hitomi. She was sad and worried for him. He looked up and saw her on the floor of the blackness they were in.

Merle took Van and Hitomi's hands and placed them over Van's heart. She had no idea what she was doing but she hoped she could help.

"Believe in yourself Van. Believe in her." Merle said. A tear fell from her eye and landed on their embraced hands.

Van looked at Hitomi's shivering form. She was crying for him. Her hand still outstretched to reach him. Then he realized what he had to do to get to her.****

**_~Hitomi! I love you too Hitomi!~_**__

Hitomi look up at Van and raised to meet him. The bars that blocked her passage disintegrated and she ran to him.

**_~No! I won't let you win!~_**__

__The sorcerer shot a beam of dark energy at Hitomi. Van saw this coming and quickly placed himself in front of Hitomi.

**_~No! Van! Please be ok. Please don't go!~_**

**_~I love you Hitomi. I always will.~_**

**_~Don't worry Van. He won't have you. I won't let him.~_**

**_~Why not girl. You're the reason he's here anyway. It's your fault. Just think about it. All those dreams and you didn't even care to think about what they could mean. Your cat friend was right all along. You could have stopped this and you didn't. Why is that? I know. It's because you didn't want to remember.~_**

**_~That's not true!~_**

**_~Sure it is. You just won't admit it. You might as well let me finish him off!~_**__

__The sorcerer released another beam of energy off. The ball made it's way toward Van. Hitomi took her place in front of Van's already weak form and waited for the impact.

**_~No Hitomi don't do it!~_**

**__**The beam hit Hitomi and threw her back. Van caught her and held her in his arms.****

******_~Must be a two for one special!~_**

**_~Hitomi?~_**

**_~Van, I'm sorry.~_**

**_~Don't be.~_**

**_~This is your mind Van. Only you can control what happens. Don't let him win.~_**__

__Van watched as Hitomi's eyes closed. He knew that Hitomi had used a lot of energy just to get to him and she might not survive after that blast. This angered him greatly. He stood up and glared at the sorcerer with a new born energy.

**_~Do you think you can beat me now? Ha! That's a laugh! Give up and make it easy on yourself!~_**

**_~You don't seem to understand that I'm going to kill you for hurting her. See, I love her and no idea you try to stick in my head will ever change that!~_**__

**__**Van began to glow a bright white and turn himself in to a beautiful white dragon. Hitomi opened her eyes weakly and watched in awe as the dragon snarled at the sorcerer.

**_~It's not possible!~_**

**_~Oh but it is, this is my mind and whatever I want to happen, will. Your game is over now!~_**__

__A ball of fire shot from the dragon's mouth and headed straight for the sorcerer.****

******_~No! You can't win that easily!~_**__

__The sorcerer changed himself into a hideous monster that towered high over Van. Hitomi remembered the words she had scribbled down on her book. The cursed monster is the sorcerer. Van is the lone white dragon. Their hearts needed to become one. They needed to be one soul or Van would fail.

**_~I'm coming Van.~_**

**_~No Hitomi, stay there!~_**

**_~You can't do it alone Van! Please Van, I can't lose you now! Not like this! Not like in my dream!~_**

**_~What?~_**

**_~In my dream you tried to defeat him and you gave up hope. Without using all of your heart you can't win. I love you too much to let you fall Van!~_**__

**__**In that very second Hitomi began to glow a brilliant pink color. Her love for Van had even her enough strength to help him. Before Van's eyes stood a beautiful angel holding a ball of energy. He couldn't believe how blind he had been. 

He formed a giant fireball and waited for Hitomi to fire her energy. When she let the ball go Van shot his fireball at her energy and they headed for the sorcerer.

**_~No this isn't supposed to happen! No!~_**__

__Merle watched as the pendant around Van's neck began to glow brightly. She knew something good would come out of this event. Crossing her fingers, she prayed. Outside all of the villagers grew silent with prayer.

Van and Hitomi changed back into their original forms and ran to each other. A black goo grabbed Hitomi's legs and wouldn't let her go.

**_~Van help me!~_**

**_~You will not get away from me girl! I know what keeps you here!~_**

**_~Hitomi! Let it go! Whatever it is you have to know that I love you and I'm not leaving here without you!~_**__

After hearing Van confess his love for her, Hitomi grabbed on to him tighter and he pulled her free. The sorcerer finally disappeared and they were able to go back.

Millerna had Hitomi moved to a separate room so she could rest comfortably. Neither one of them had woken up. Van began to recover miraculously from the illness that plagued him. Everyone was both shocked and please at the news.

Late in the night Van opened his eyes fully for the first time in days. He still felt awful but, he didn't feel like he was dying anymore. He looked over only to notice two blue eyes looking over him.

"Millerna?" He asked.

"Hello Van. I'm glad you're awake." Millerna said.

"What brings you here?" Van asked still not quite sure if he was dreaming or not.

"I don't expect you to remember. When I heard you were sick I came here to make sure that you were taken care of properly. Allen came with me and prince Chid stopped by as well. You were pretty out of it though." Millerna replied. Van suddenly remembered what had happened and scanned the room for Hitomi.

"Where's Hitomi?" He asked frantically.

"Calm down. She's resting in the next room. She used a lot of energy and she still hasn't woken up. She'll be ok." Millerna said. Van relaxed some and soon after, fell back to sleep.

Van woke up early the next morning and got up. He grabbed the blanket that was on the bed and wrapped it around him to keep the cold away. He very quietly walked over to Hitomi's room and went to her beside. Sitting on the floor beside her bed, he watched her sleep.

Hitomi awoke to the sun shining in on her. She turned around to face the other side of the bed and sighed in contentment. Van opened his eyes and looked at her, smiling.

When Hitomi opened her eyes she saw Van's big reddish brown eyes looking at her. She smiled when she saw him.

"Van." She said and reached out to hug him. He pulled her close making sure he wasn't dreaming. He never wanted to let her go again.

"Aishiteru Hitomi." He whispered in her ear.

"I love you too Van. I always will." Hitomi said. She moved over on the bed inviting him to come sit with her. Van got the hint and crawled up beside her. She rested her head on his chest and curled herself into his warmth.

She loved listening to his heartbeat. He made her feel so safe and loved. She always wanted to be with him. She'd gladly stay here to be with him.

"Hitomi?" Van whispered. She looked up at him when he called her name. 

"Yes Van?" Hitomi asked.

"Will you stay here now? Will you stay on Gaea with me as my Queen?" Van asked. He was almost afraid of her answer.

"Yes Van I will stay here with you. Thank you for asking me. I will always be with you." Hitomi said. Van pulled her close to him and they kissed. Their kiss was made of the pure love that they had for each other. It was a their first kiss to the rest of their lives.

Van wrapped himself and Hitomi up in the blanket he had with him. They stayed in each others arms for quite sometime making sure that they weren't dreaming.

"Where's Van?" Merle asked when she woke up. She got up and went to Hitomi's room. She peeked in to find Hitomi and Van curled up together, sleeping. Satisfied, Merle went to make sure no one bothered them.

When everything was set back to normal, Van announced that Hitomi was going to stay and that they were getting married. All of Fanelia celebrated their king's announcement and his recovery. Hitomi visited Yukari and her mother and explained what was going on. They were glad she was happy and made her promise to come visit sometime.

Needless to say, Van and Hitomi lived together happily. The experience they shared strengthened them greatly and they never parted. Their love was stronger than ever. Never ending.

  
  


**_~The End~_**__

  
  


Wow! That was cool! This is cool! Really mushy! Peachy! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. Please review and tell me what you think. Be gentle. ^__^

  
  


DISCLAIMER: I do not own Escaflowne. I just love it. This is me loving something I didn't make and not getting any money for it. All I own is the sundae I'm eating right now. Bye for now!!****

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